Piety

Motivational Moments #11
by Mufti Ismail Menk

Piety or Taqwa is defined as the action of restraining oneself from disobeying the commands of the Almighty.

Simply put, Taqwa is to be present in a place the Almighty has ordered and to be absent from a place He has prohibited.

Is it any wonder that the word “Taqwa” is mentioned 251 times in the Noble Qur’an?

In Islam, Taqwa is the quality of those who protect themselves from all that is considered as wrong and sinful. In stating this, there are two kinds of Taqwa: the first is just to avoid facing situations where sins may be committed. This is a passive approach and leads to seclusion and isolation, while the second is to face challenges and remain persistent and consistent in faith.

Certainly, consciousness of the Almighty or Taqwa is the medicine for our hearts, the cure for the ailments of our bodies, the rectifier of all evils and the light that illuminates our path.

In fact, Taqwa is said to be beneficial for all the difficulties and hardships of human life. Taqwa is one of the pillars of a person’s life, whether in one’s personal or social life. The whole basis of life would be unstable without it.

The process of attaining Taqwa takes time and grows with the strengthening of faith in the heart of a believer until he becomes convinced that the Almighty is aware of everything he does and each word he utters.

In the famous Hadith of Jibril (aleyhis salam) when he asked Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about Islam, Iman, and Ihsan, the Prophet ﷺ responded about Ihsan, saying it is to worship Allah as if you see Him, and if you can’t see Him you know that He sees you. That is the highest level of faith.

In order to fear the Almighty, a believer needs to remember death often, as well as life beyond this Dunya (world), our life in the Hereafter. This is one of the fruits of reciting the Qur’an often, reflecting on its verses and chapters. The many reminders of the Hereafter will help put the heart in the right state.

Remember we are fully reliant on Him. He can take us at any time.

So we must be conscious of the Almighty and totally submit to Him and obey His commands lest we are taken whilst we are indulging in sin and face the torment of the grave and His everlasting wrath.